Electrical regulator.



A. A. TIRRILL.

ELECTRICAL REGULATOR.

I APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5. 1911. K 1,147,570. Patented July 20, 1915.

. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- wLTNEssEs: LNvENToR ATRNEY A. A. TIRRILL. ELECTRICAL RLEGULATOR.

AFELICATION FILED OCT. 5, |911. Patented 2O 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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. INVENTOR MAM A. A. TIRRILL. ELECTRICAL REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5| 1911.

Patented July 20, 1915.

f INI/ENIGH y BY- c L ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEN A. TIRRILL, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASASIGNOR TO-WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC-8c. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF 4PEN1TSY1'.|`VANIA.

ELECTRICAL REGULATOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN A. TIRRILL, a

' citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electrical Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrical regulators, and it has for its object to provide a simple and exceptionally effective regulator of the kind in which the regulation is ei'ected by adjustment of the ieldexcitation of a dynamo-electric machine.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a diagrammatic viewA of a'system of dis tribution embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is .a similar View of a system embodying a modification'lof the regulator, and Figs. 3, 4c, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views of systems embodying .furthermodiications of my invention.

A system in connection with which the present invention may be conveniently emploved comprises a main generator having an armature 1 that is connected to a suitable distributingcircuit 2-3-4 and a field magnet Winding 5 that is supplied with exciting current from an exciter 6. The exciter is providedwith afield magnet Winding 7 that 1s preferably shunt excited, though 1t may be vsupplied with current from any other suitable source, and in series with the said field magnet Winding is a resistor 8 that is adapted to be shunted by means of coperating stationary and movable contact terminals 9 and 10 of a relay 11 constituting a part of the regulator. f p' The regulator comprises, further, an inclined stationary contact terminal 12 that is resiliently mounted, as by being supported upon the end of a plate spring 13, and a cooperating movable contact terminal 14 that is'mounted upon one end of a lever 15. The lever 15 .nis 1iivotally supported by anal-m 16 and 1s; actuated by an electro-magnet Winding 17 that is energized from the cir'- v cuit 2-3-4, as, for instance', by being conl fnected through a transformer -18 tothe con- .ductors 2 and 3. When thus connected, it is energized in proportion to the voltage of the distributing circuit. The winding b17 is Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 20, 1915, Application led October 5, 1911. Serial No. 653,010. i

-vary its distance from the stationary contact terminal 12 in response to variations of any selected electrical condition of the distributmg c1rcu1t,lwhich, as illustrated in Fig. 1, 1s its voltage.

The lever 16 is actuated, so asto move the contact terminal 14 substantially horizontally into and out of engagement with the stationary contact terminal 12, by means of an electromagnet winding 24 having a core 25, the said core being drawnto the left 1n opposition to the tension of a spring 2G when the winding 2i is sufficiently energ1zed. The core 25 is supported at one end by means of an arm o1' spring 27, and its movements are preferably retarded, as, for instance, by means of a dash pot 28 that 1s connected thereto by means of a bell crank lever 29. The winding-24 also receives energy from the distributing circuit 2-3-1, and a lamp 33, or any other suitable resister,A is connected -in series therewith, the said resistor being adapted to be shunted by means of coperating stationary and movable contact terminals 3d and ,before stated, serving to vary the distance of the contact terminal 14 from the terminal 12 in response to variations of an 'electrical condition of the distributing circuit, and the wlnding 24: serving to move the contact termlnal 14 into and out of engagement -With the terminal 12 in accordance With -variations of the degree of its energization,

lmentand disengagement of thl relay contact terminals 34C and 35.

The'mode of operation of the regulator will be best understood from a detailed consideration thereof. When, as illustrated, the Contact terminal 14 is out of engagement with the terminal 12, the relay magnet windings 37 and 38 are not energized and, consequently, the contact terminals 9 and 315 do not engage the terminals 1G and The shunt circuit to the resistor 8 is then interrupted and the lield excitation and voltage of the exciter are diminished, followed by a diminution of the lield excitation and Voltage of the main generator. By reason of the reduction of the voltage ot' the generator, the winding 17 is energized to a less degree and the contact terminal 14: is accordingly slightly raised. When the contact terminals 34 and 35 are not in engagement, the resistor 38 is included in the circuit oiE the magnet winding 24, with the result that it is less strongly energized, and the spring 26 draws the contact terminal 1t into engagement with the terminal 12. The relay mag net windings 537 and 88 are thereupon energized and the relay contact members are brought into engagement. A shunt circuit to the resistor S is thus established, with the result that the field excitation and Voltage ot the exciter are increased, followed by increases ofthe lield excitation and voltage of y the main generator. Then, by reason. of the cal condition yof the distributing circuit, and f in such manner that the said electrical condition will be permitted to .vary only slightly from a uniform or required value and will be quickly brought to a condition of stability. By reason of the fact that the winding 2J: receives energy from the main circuit, rather than from the exciter circuit', and that its circuit is governed by the relay 3G, the regulater Very quickly and eii'ect-iyely restores the voltage or other electrical condition to its normal value.

rllhe operation oi' the regulator is entirely independent of the yexciter voltage and oi' the consequent delays resulting :from the retardation due to the inductance ot' the exciter ield circuit, and the regulator is also una-dected'in its operation by commutation l ator.

nier/,are

'troubles of the exciter. fit also does not re quire adjustment for different exciter voltages.

The regulator of F ig. 2 differs from that oit Fig. 1 in that the lever 1G is replaced by a bell cranlrlever Ll0 which permits of Yertically suspending the core 25 therefrom, thereby providing a more simple structure. in this figure, the resistor in series with the magnet winding 24 is omitted, and the circuit of the said winding is made and broken by the relay contact terminals 34E and Th 0" 'i 9'02 e regulator o1 I ig. n, ot course, operates substantially like that of Fig. 1.

In F ig. the magnet winding 21 is supplied from the armature d8 ot' a small auxiliary generator that may be driven lrom the same source ot power as the exciter, or 'from any other suitable source, and in series with the field magnet winding '19 ot' which isa resistor 50 that is adapted to be shuntcd by the relay contacts 31 and The iicld. excitation and voltage oi the auxiliary gein crater are thus controlled in substantially the same manner as the field excitation and voltage oit the exciter, and the liuctuations oil the voltage or' the auxiliary generator produce the desired fluctuations of energization ol the winding 2T". In this ligure, also, the relay magnet windings 37 and 38 are supplied from the armature oit the auxiliary gener- The inode of operation ot' the regulator ot' this ligure is substantially like that of the preceding ngures.

The construction of the regulator of nig. L is similar to that of Fig. 2, but the arrangcment oi' the circuits is such that the regulator ogerates to maintain a substantially uniforml load upon a main generator 52 that supplies a distributing circuit 5B-51, a battery being employed roi the purpose of relieving the generator of the lluctuations in load. The batter is caused to charee and;

discharge, according to the condition of the load. by means of a booster, the armature 5o of which is connected in series with the battery. The booster is provided with ditl'ercntial held magnet windings 57 and 58, the former' of which is connected between suitable points or' the battery and the latter of which is supplied from the armature 5t) ot an exciter having a hem magnet windingl ol).

Iny series with the licld magnet winding o() is a resistor G1, the terminals of which arc respectively connected to contact members (l2 and 63 of a relay (it corresponding to relay 11 o'lI Yilligs. l and 2. The direction and rcsulant rialue of the field excitation ot' the booster depends upon the relations` ol the periods of en agenirnt and discugagclucut ot the contact mem bers G2 and (ill, aud. thc direction and ruine oiI ne booster voltage \'aries in accordance therewith and corresponds thereto. in this system, the actuating wind ing lj? receives current proportiiiual to that traversing the circuit conductor 58 instead of receiving current proportional to the voltage of the distributing circuit, as in the previous figures. The remainder of the connections of the regulator are substantially like those of Fig. 2.

Since the actuating winding 1T of the regulator receives current proportional to that traversing the circuit conductor 53 between the generator o2 and the battery 55, the position of the movable contact terminal ll will vary with the slight tiuctuations in the' value of the said current, and ther-egulator will operate to maintain the load upon the main gene ator 52 substantially uniform with fluctuations in the load upon the distributing circuit. Thus, when the load upon the distributing circuit is low, the rela tion of the periods of engagement and disengagement of the various contact terminals of the regulator will be such that the field excitation of the booster' will be of such direction and 'alue that the booster voltage will oppose the voltage of the battei.'v and cause the battery to charge. As the load upon the distributing circuit is increased to substantially its normal value, the periods of engagement and disengagement of the Contact members of the regulator will be substantially1 equal, and the voltage of the booster will accordingly be substantially Zero, with the result that the battery floats upon the system. XVith further increase of the load upon the distributing circuit, the relation of the periods of engagement and disengagement of the various contact members of the regulattir becomes such that the voltage of the booster is caused to supplement that of the battery, with the result that the battery discharges and assists the generator in carrying the load.

In the system of Fig. 5, the relay 3G is omitted and the circuit of the magnet winding 2l is governed by a pair of cooperating contact members GG and 67, the latter of which is actuated by the movements of the core 25 of the said winding. rl`he member o7 is carried by an armature GS that is loosely mounted upon a support-ing rod G9 for the core 25, the said rod being provided with enlargements or shoulders upon opposite sides of the armature .68 for effecting movements thereof. A stationary magnet 7() is provided opposite the armature G8 which maintains the member 67 in engagement with the'member 66 in opposition to aspring 71 after engagement thereof has been effected by movement of the rod 69. This mechanism insures a positive engagement and disengagement of the members 6G and G7. Thus, the Winding 24 serves to open and close its own circuit, and it is periodically energized anu denergized, so that it elfects horizontal vibration of the contact terminal 1l. In other respects, the operation of this system is like that of systems shown in the preceding iigures.

ln Fig. (5, both the relay 36 and the winding 24 for ett'ecting hollizontal vibration of the contact terminal ll. are omitted, and the liorizontal vibrations of the said contact terminal are etiected by means of a cam 73 that is driven at a suitabler speed by any means and that bears against one face of the lever 1G. i

lYhile the regulator has been shown as employed for regulating in accordance with variations of voltage or current, it will be readily understood that it may be adapted to meet other requirements and to regulate in accordance with variations of any other electrical condition of a circuit or system without departing from the spirit of the invention. rlfhe regulator may be employedY for regulating direct current machines as well as alternators.

claim as my invent-ion:

l. An electrical regulator comprising cooperating contact members, one of which mis an inclined contact face, a lever actuating one of said members, a` winding for actuating said lever, a second lever providi'ng a fulcrum for the aforesaid lever, and another winding for actuating the said second lever'.

2. An electrical regulator comprising cooperating contact members, one of which has an inclined Contactl face, a lever actuating one of said members, a winding for actuating said lever, a second lever providing a fulcrum for the aforesaid lever, another winding for actuating the said second lever, and means for retardin'g the movements of said second lever.

3. An electrical regulator comprising co operating contact members, one of which has an inclined contact face, and one of which is resiliently mounted, a lever actuating one of said members, a winding for actuating the lever, a second lever providing a fulcrum for the aforesaid lever, and another winding for actuating the said second lever.

4. An electrical regulator comprising cooperating contact members, one of which has an inclined contact face, a lever actuating one of said members, a winding for actuating the lever, a second lever providing a fulcrum for the aforesaid lever, and means for vibrating the said second lever.

An electrical regulator comprising cooperating contact members, one of which has an inclined contact face, actuating windings for one of said members cach of which may actuate the same independently of the other,

and means actuated by one of said windings for coritrolling its own circuit. Y

G. An electrical regulator comprising cooperating contact members, one of which has an ncno oonact face, a ever for acsubscribed my name this 3rd day of Oct.j guatlng on@ of sala members, a Wmdmg for 1911. f otuatmg sind lever? a second lever havlng 1 T Y 1 1 its fulcrum above-that of the aforesaid lever ALLEE A' IIRRILL and providing s ulcrum therefor, and Vnssses: msunsifor ao'uzlmg fabs sald second lever. OTTO S. SCHAIRER,

n tosunouy whereof, have hereunto B. B. HINES.

yzxes 'may ne obtained for tve cents each, by ridressing che Commissioner of latcms,

Wasmgkon, D. C. 

